Maturity
by Mirai-Xenia
Summary: This is my first Xmen fic. Just some Marie and Logan fluff with a splash of harsh reality. Slightly AU. RR


AUTHOR'S NOTE: HEY! This is my first crack at an X-men fic. Originally it was an essay for English, but my friend Ebony liked it a lot and told me I should upload it, so here it is. Don't worry I spruced it up a bit. It's more of an AU (alternative universe) kinda thing. Anyway, ENJOY!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own X-men or any of its characters.  
  
Maturity  
  
Primping her face, Marie signed in frustration. Logan, that over- bearing, protective jerk! His brazen remarks about the party and her friends infuriated her to no end. What gave him the right to act as her father?  
  
FLACHBACK  
  
"Marie I don't approve of this."  
  
Glaring angrily, Marie tore out of her chair, "Logan Ah am 18 years old! Ah am old enough to take care of myself and Ah don't need you to be my body guard every single minute of my life!!"  
  
Logan sighed and ran his hand roughly over his face. Damn, she was being stubborn, "Marie." His gruff voice growled. He hated arguing with her, but this was the only option she had left open.  
  
"Ah'm going Logan." She wasn't backing down from him. Everyone else might be terrified by the Wolverine, but he was just a pup in her eyes.  
  
"You didn't even want to go earlier. Why now? Who will be there?" Logan mentally frowned in disgust. He's been hanging around Cyke too long. He was already adopting the man's parental manners. Damn, that's all he needed right now. For her to think of him as just another overbearing genitor.  
  
"You know who'll be there! Don't act stupid Logan." She scolded the rage churning vehemently inside of her. She watched him frown as he turned to gaze at her, "Why don't you like them? Huh? Why?"  
  
"Because the friends you pick are fucking jerks!!" Logan yelled as he quickly jumped up from his chair. His furious face gazing down at her menacingly.  
  
Marie's eyes widened instantly as her body went limp for a moment. Her once balled fist fell to her side as her face froze.  
  
Fuck! Logan placed his hands on her shoulders and brought his voice down to a calm tone, "Marie I-"  
  
Yet, Before he could utter another word she had torn herself away from his grip and stepped back into the doorway of the kitchen, "Damn you Logan! Ah don't care if you give a damn about it! Ah'm going!"  
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
She hastily pulled at the ends of her skirt and tucked a loose tendril behind her ear. Logan still held the delusional thought that she was still twelve years old. The same little girl that first came to the school, but now she was eighteen and was heading off to college next year. Thank god she had a college picked out already, she was ready to pack and leave the constraining institute. And what if he was her legal guardian! Didn't he know when to let go??  
  
Marie snorted with contempt as she dispelled the last thought of Logan from her mind. A slight smile lit her features as she stared at her reflection. The party that night was more important. At least there she would receive the chance to rid herself of this caustic mood that had taken hold of her.  
  
Glancing calmly through the windshield she sighed, maybe getting Logan out of her mind wouldn't be that easy. She growled as she felt his presence in her mind. Thank god the Professor taught her to suppress these personalities or she would be going loony. Turning the steering wheel, she smiled as she stopped the car.  
  
The music echoed loudly in her ears as she entered the house. The quietness of the car ride was not missed, she would enjoy this. Pulling off her coat, she walked over to the window and looked out to see people swimming in the pool. A light giggle fell from her lips as she watched the nude students play various games. Some that she knew would never be uttered back at the mansion. Her eyes glanced around the frenzy and she noticed a girl was passed out on the diving board. The face was familiar...oh well, she frowned in distaste. Irresponsible people, no one would ever find her in that position. Damn, Logan was becoming more apparent in her head.  
  
A tap on the shoulder stole her attention and she turned to see a boy she had seen a few times at school. Blonde hair, broad shoulders and a cute smile that sent a plausible roar from all the girls. She smiled...Bobby. She took the drink he offered to her graciously and glanced up in time to spot an unruly patch of familiar obsidian hair. Logan. He had followed her to the party! Damn that man did not trust her enough to be the responsible adult she knew herself to be! Quickly she drank the liquor in her glass and took in a sharp breath at the potency of it. She sloshed the remaining bit and watched the liquid move slowly. 'Strange,' she thought curiously as she watched the bronze liquid stick to the sides. She dipped her finger in and felt the cohesive substance. Why had it been so thick? She glanced up occasionally at Bobby as he continued to speak to her. What he had said, she would never be able to recall for her mind was held possessively over the two eyes that bore into her back.  
  
Marie blinked for a moment and rubbed her eyes. What was wrong? Why were they suddenly beginning to blur? Thoughts of Logan's doubts were quickly thrown from her mind as her head began to steadily throb. Her vision swam for a moment and she was barely able to perceive Bobby leading her to a room in the house. Crying out softly, she fell back as Bobby roughly pushed her through the doorway. She came in contact with a soft materiel or rather a duvet that spanned across a king size mattress. Blinking lazily she tried to muster up the strength to move herself from the bed. Yet, her muscles wouldn't obey and her limbs became like rubber and she found herself unable to lift herself up. A low chuckle emanated from Bobby's lips as he closed the door; a small click heard over the silence that followed. Fear consumed Marie and she whimpered. This was not suppose to happen to her. This kinda of thing only happens in bad horror flicks or those dumb movies on the WN. Shuttering her eyes tightly tears cascaded down her cheeks as she waited in apprehension.  
  
However, what greeted her ears next was all but expected. With a loud curse and a shout, the door bursted open and raised voices could be heard. She could hear scuffling and then another curse. The sound of a painful moan as a thud resounded from her right. Opening her eyes finally, she spotted Logan looming over her, his face holding a grave sense of anger and worry. Gently he bent down and picked up her limp body. His eyes piercing into her for a few moment before he turned away. In her hazy-state she could still detect the shame that radiated off him. Logan had been the one who had taught her to look out for these things. How to tell when a drink had been spiked, what to do if a guy cornered you in a room or how to get over a hangover. He had trusted her, but he also worried a great deal about her. In his mind, he held the facade seriously. He was her father in these situations.  
  
Everything began to fade quickly as her body became numb. Lights spun chaotically around her and blackness consumed her mind as the soft rumble of the car's engine filled her ears. A sympathetic face with long white hair greeted her as she cracked open her eyes. Wincing, Marie held her head for a moment as it split into painful quarters. The young woman beside her supported her as she sat up and smiled. Ororo, her professor had always taken care of her whenever she was ill. She was aunt Ororo sometimes, the endearment fastening onto Marie's mind after only being at the institute for a couple of months. Smoothing out Marie's hair, Ororo whispered for her to rest, but the teen would have nothing of it. The expression on Logan's face was still fresh in her mind. Marie groaned lightly as she swung her legs out of her bed. Damn this felt worse than a hangover. A strong protective presence suddenly pressed itself upon her and she smirked. She would have to watch her language otherwise she'd have two Logan's on her case. Sometimes he was an oxymoron of himself, the man possessing an extensive vocabulary in the foul language, disapproved of her using it. Smirking, she turned to and gave her a small smile of assurance. The professor nodded and smiled with discernment, before letting her student leave.  
  
Making her way cautiously through the dark winding corridors she sighed in frustration. Where was that man? Turning sharply, Marie stepped back as a dim light bathed her body. Glancing around the large doorway she found Logan in the gym sweating and panting. A large punching bag was swaying violently as his fists pounded into it relentlessly. Marie watched every movement in quiet fascination. Her eyes landing on his face for a moment, but it was long enough to observe the intense guilt that emanated from his dark shining orbs. With every strike, as each fist connected with the hard material, a chilling sensation shot up Marie's spine. It prickled her skin and she swallowed uneasily as it rested in the pit of her stomach, churning violently with shame.  
  
He stopped suddenly, the last fist sliding down the large bag. His body quickly followed his arm's lead as his knees buckled from beneath him. Abruptly whipping back his head, he cried out angrily as his fist came crashing down into the stone floor. His head fell forward and rested limply against his chest as a noticeable shiver ran through his being.  
  
A tear escaped Marie's eyes as she felt the worry and guilt well up inside her, the same overwhelming emotions that were plaguing Logan. Maybe to him she was just his little girl who was growing up too fast. The same little girl who had so easily allowed her mind to wander when she should have been paying attention to the drink she had been offered.  
  
Logan glanced up and their eyes met. She pushed away from the doorway and slowly walked up to the slouched man on the floor. Kneeling down she brought her hand up around his muscular waist. A whisper of gratitude fell from her lips and she smiled as he returned the warm gesture.  
  
Maybe she should consider Logan's feelings more often. Maybe she should be more understanding of how he felt every time his little girl went out. A startling thought struck her at that moment. This strong man who had been her guardian these past six years needed her. He was the type of man that would hold a shot-gun up to any of her boyfriends' heads until he would be certain she would never be hurt by any of them. Tonight wasn't one of her best moments, but that just proved how much she still was that little girl that had first arrived here.  
  
Her hold tightened around Logan as a smile brightened her features. The painful throbbing in head forgotten. She still had so much more to learn from her 'father', so she could leave this little girl behind. What if she was eighteen!! That didn't matter, she knew that number held no significance.  
  
"Logan," Marie mumbled as she pulled back.  
  
He gazed at her and smiled, "What darlin'?"  
  
"You think you can bare me being around here for another year or two?"  
  
His brows creased as utter confusion fell over his entire face. Marie couldn't help but laugh at his bewildered expression.  
  
"Cause Ah was thinking college could wait another year or two."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
So...what do ya think? Probably wondering what prompt this was for, huh? Read the title. That's it basically. "Show how a teenager mature into adulthood" The idea of X-men came from my friend Ebony. I think its ok for a first try, but hey its my fic so what I think really doesn't count as much.. Please review guys, much appreciated!! 


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